variants
also kaputt
1
as in doomed
facing certain defeat, disaster, or death
once the Germans were forced to retreat from Stalingrad, the Nazi cause was kaput
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in obsolete
having passed its time of use or usefulness
hard-line Soviet-style Communism became kaput in Russia
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in malfunctioning
not being in working order
the heating system went kaput on the coldest day of the year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of kaput
Now all three of those competitors are kaput, felled by runs on deposits during the biggest banking crisis in a decade and a half.
—
Rob Copeland, New York Times, 14 June 2023
The Stooges are now functionally kaput—of the original lineup, only Pop is left.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2019
At least not on Sunday afternoon, nearly a full two days after the Clippers were supposed to be done, finished, as kaput as the Kings – those in Sacramento and Los Angeles.
—Jeff Miller, Orange County Register, 29 Apr. 2017
The damages for that less-than-brilliant marketing idea could be as much as $120 million, meaning the company as a whole is pretty much financially kaput.
—Susan Arendt, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2007
Rob Copeland, New York Times, 14 June 2023
The Stooges are now functionally kaput—of the original lineup, only Pop is left.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2019
At least not on Sunday afternoon, nearly a full two days after the Clippers were supposed to be done, finished, as kaput as the Kings – those in Sacramento and Los Angeles.
—Jeff Miller, Orange County Register, 29 Apr. 2017
The damages for that less-than-brilliant marketing idea could be as much as $120 million, meaning the company as a whole is pretty much financially kaput.
—Susan Arendt, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2007
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kaput
Adjective
-
However, with the opening of the Alaska Railroad in 1923, followed by the replacement of horse traffic with automobiles, travelers were able to go faster and farther, rendering many of the roadhouses obsolete.—
Laura Kiniry,
Smithsonian Magazine,
22 Jan. 2025
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Over time, the concern is that the cafe’s role as the heart of Parisian society will become obsolete, Mr. Fontaine said, as the younger generation turns to the coffee shop.—
Vivian Song,
New York Times,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Many old documents are written in an archaic hand the practice of which has fallen out of use.—
Daniel Foster,
National Review,
23 Jan. 2025
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Shaw seems to study less than any pre-med in recorded history, rebeling against a Mommy Dearest played as an archaic caricature of rich snobbery by Nancy De Mayo.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Puffer jackets filled with down or fiberfill, synthetic fleece jackets, and nylon or polyester outerwear can be washed at home, as well as some wool coats.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
20 Jan. 2025
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Again, Washington declined most field-goal attempts or punts, going for it on fourth down five times.—
David Aldridge,
The Athletic,
19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Digital Currency Group, the crypto firm founded by Barry Silbert, and the former executive of a defunct unit are paying the SEC $38.5 million for misleading investors.—
MacKenzie Sigalos,
CNBC,
17 Jan. 2025
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Bush chose Moody a year later to serve on the Board of Regents, the defunct governing body for the state’s university system.—
Dan Sullivan,
Miami Herald,
17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Perhaps most notably, both sides deploy decoy vehicles—either inoperative derelicts or inflatable fakes—to draw enemy fire away from real vehicles.—
David Axe,
Forbes,
31 Oct. 2024
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In wartime, however, the calculus changes, because most of the costs are inoperative.—
William C. Wohlforth,
Foreign Affairs,
22 June 2021
Adjective
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The sunk cost fallacy, for example, can lead companies to continue investing in maintaining a physical office space, despite the benefits of remote work.—
Dr. Gleb Tsipursky,
Forbes,
6 Feb. 2023
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The sunk cost fallacy is a bias that behavioral economists say can cause a person to stick with a losing investment.—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi,
Discover Magazine,
22 Mar. 2022
Adjective
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All told, those properties were issued roughly 50 violations, according to city records, for violations including overgrowth, junk and inoperable cars parked on the properties.—
Ben Wieder,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2025
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More than likely, TikTok would just become inoperable on your phone as more and more services drop support.—
Chloe Albanesius,
PCMAG,
9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Through biological opinions, state and federal agencies govern these systems to direct water diversions and pumping restrictions to protect endangered species.—
Ari Plachta,
Sacramento Bee,
27 Jan. 2025
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Sales brought in at the zoo’s gift shops and dining facilities are funneled into its ongoing efforts to protect endangered species.—
Christopher Cann,
USA TODAY,
26 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to kaput
Thesaurus Entries Near kaput
Cite this Entry
“Kaput.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kaput. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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